The Pioneer Day Celebration in Monticello will take place this weekend, with a few new events and a host of old favorites.

It is a Cello-bration with a full range of events under the sponsorship of the City of Monticello.

The party will kick off on Thursday, July 21, with the Monticello Ghost Tour. Tours start on the hour at 7, 8, and 9 p.m. and leave from the east end of Veterans Memorial Park, near the city offices.

On Friday, July 22 at 2 p.m., Artisan Jewelers will host a treasure hunt that will take hunters around the city. First person to finish the hunt will win a bar of solid silver, worth nearly $500.

A Home Run Derby will start at 3 p.m. at the ballfields. The evening will feature vendors in the park, a quilting expo, and kick off the fast pitch softball tournament. “Moana” will play at Veterans Park beginning at 8:30 p.m.

Festivities on Saturday, July 22 will begin at 7 a.m. with two events, including the Lions Club Breakfast at the pavilion behind the post office and adjacent to the LDS Stake Center. In addition, a 5K race will begin at 7 a.m. at Loyds Lake.

The annual Pioneer day parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. and follow the traditional route, beginning at Monticello High School and traveling down Main Street before returning to the school.

The parade will feature floats made by local businesses, San Juan County Fair, Stewards of San Juan, the Monticello High School drill team, and more. There may even be a Civil War reenactment.

Jewell Adams is the Grand Marshall of this year’s parade.

Following the parade, vendors in the park will offer a variety of delicious foods, prizes, gifts, and games.

The softball tournament will continue throughout the day. The Monticello Pool will host diving for prizes and $1 swim.

The day will end with fireworks once it gets dark. Make sure to snag a spot on the ballfields if you want the best view of the firework show.

An open house will take place on Friday and Saturday at the newly restored home of early Monticello pioneers F.I. and Mary Jones. The beautifully restored home is on the corner of 100 East and 200 South.

There are a host of family reunions and class reunions over the weekend, including the Monticello High School graduating classes of 1967, ‘77, ‘87, ‘97 and more.

The celebration is made possible by the City of Monticello and the volunteer service of a number of people. Monticello City Parks and Recreation Director Natalie Randall heads up the volunteer committee, with the assistance of Easton Bowring and Averi Christiansen.

Janell Brown is in charge of the parade, Linda Lewis is in charge of the vendor activities, and Tyler Hall is in charge of the local business efforts.

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